Jakość mikrobiologiczna tradycyjnych polskich wędzonek parzonych

The aim of this study was to determine the microbiological quality of three traditional smoked cooked meat products: kindziuk, smoked loin, and smoked ham, manufactured in north-eastern Poland. The total viable count (TVC) and presence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes were determined. A total of 5 test series of 5 samples of each product (n = 75) were performed. The average TVC ranged from 2.96 log cfu/g to 6.36 log cfu/g, depending on the type of product and the test series. There were significant differences in the TVC in the samples of smoked meat produced at different periods of time by the same manufacturer (i.e. samples representing different production batches of the same product). These differences were most notable in kindziuk. None of the samples was positive for Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, or Listeria monocytogenes. Our results attest to a satisfactory microbiological quality of smoked meats and confirm consumers’ positive opinion about the health safety of traditional domestic meat products. Nevertheless, significant differences in bacterial contamination of samples from different production batches suggest that the manufacturers of this type of meat products should take steps to ensure a higher quality of their products.